Casting Noah Baumbach's Greenburg

The Hollywood Reporter have glad tidings for fans of Mumblecore pin-up Greta Gerwig, as they announce that she's won the lead role in Noah Baumbach's upcoming Greenburg. Even though I'd expect the box office ceiling for this one to be low enough that the light fixtures will be resting on the floor, it's still a big leap into the lower leagues of ET-friendly fame for the actress. Poor girl.

According to the Reporter, her Greenburg co-star will be Ben Stiller (I think we already knew he was on board, come to think of it) while Production Weekly also throw Jennifer Jason Leigh into the mix. Wonder how she got the gig? Ahem.

I find Baumbach's films to be genuinely mediocre. Very often, they showcase totally fine, even bulletproof performances by actors who often truly excel in daring turns elsewhere and rehearse the kind of dramedy maneuvers that several of his peers routinely trump him at. I can't really bring myself to levy any harsh criticisms against Baumbach's work, nor can I spirit up any great enthusiasm for it either. I'd suspect his films are conceived an executed to be filmmaking projects, not film viewing experiences and, frankly, I don't know if that ever really works.

All other details of the project are currently under wraps, and have been since it first made a run at the launch ramp. That time, Mark Ruffalo and Amy Adams were attached to star – in the Stiller and, presumably, Gerwig roles. I think I preferred that double act, just a little.

Shooting is set to start in March so this time at least, the cast should stick.